Abstract

Imaging of tissue with near-infrared spectral tomography is
emerging as a practicable method to map hemoglobin concentrations
within tissue. However, the accurate recovery of images by using
modeling methods requires a good match between experiments and the
model prediction of light transport in tissue. We illustrate the
potential for a match between (i) three-dimensional (3-D)
frequency-domain diffusion theory, (ii) two-dimensional diffusion
theory, (iii) Monte Carlo simulations, and (iv) experimental
data from tissue-simulating phantoms. Robin-type boundary
conditions are imposed in the 3-D model, which can be implemented with
a scalar coupling coefficient relating the flux through the surface to
the diffuse fluence rate at the same location. A comparison of 3-D
mesh geometries for breast imaging indicates that relative measurements
are sufficiently similar when calculated on either cylindrical or
female breast shapes, suggesting that accurate reconstruction may be
achieved with the simpler cylindrical mesh. Simulation studies
directly assess the effects from objects extending out of the image
plane, with results suggesting that spherically shaped objects
reconstruct at lower contrast when their diameters are less than 15–20
mm. The algorithm presented here illustrates that a 3-D forward
diffusion model can be used with circular tomographic measurements to
reconstruct two-dimensional images of the interior absorption
coefficient.

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